


Stop the Carriage!

by Lanerose



Series: IJ Ironman Ficathon [16]
Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fluff, Gypsy!Haruhi, Prince!Tamaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-10
Updated: 2007-09-10
Packaged: 2018-07-10 18:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6999622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lanerose/pseuds/Lanerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Tamaki has an unfortunate habit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stop the Carriage!

**"I am a king in everything when with a wanton gypsy, o."**  
  
Tamaki heard the music long before they came into sight. The high pitched crash of the tambourine, a lyrical flute, and the rumbling echo of drums carried past the trees. The sounds were faint at first, but grew louder, louder, until at last they could see across the plains an encampment where people danced and sang.  
  
"Stop the carriage!" he called, and immediately it began to slow, approaching not at a gallop but a trot even as it continued moving.  
  
"My lord, are you sure?" One of the redheads across from him asked, eyes wide as he alternately shared glances with his twin and eyed the gathering they were approaching.  
  
"Not that we dislike danger, my lord –" The other redhead interjected with a droll toss of his head and a wave of his hand.  
  
"Oh, no, we're always up for some excitement –" the first agreed, nodding.  
  
"But if you get us robbed again, we're going to have to kill you." They leaned forward as one, glaring at him.  
  
"It only happened that one time with that lying little beggar girl…" Tamaki said as he drew back, arms coming up defensively in front of him and tried (unsuccessfully) to cower behind Kyouya. The dark-haired man turned to him with a bemused smile and straightened his glasses.  
  
"Actually, to date, you have gotten us robbed…" Kyouya paused and flipped through his notebook a couple of pages, "twenty-seven times."  
  
"Really?" Kaoru asked, blinking. "I could have sworn it was only twenty-six."  
  
"Mmm, me too," Hikaru leaned back in his seat. "Are you losing your touch, Kyouya?"  
  
"The reason you do not remember the twenty-seventh time," Kyouya said, light reflecting off his glasses dangerously, "is probably because you had pre-arranged that trap with the man with the broken leg and managed to retrieve your belongings at a later date. The rest of ours mysteriously vanished, if you'll recall."  
  
"Ah, right," the twins exchanged a smile. Kaoru straightened and continued, "Seriously though, my lord, I'm not sure this is a good idea."  
  
Tamaki, curled in a ball on the seat beside Kyouya, mumbled, "I just thought it would be fun to dance with them for a little while."  
  
Kyouya sighed, and called out, "Stop the carriage!"  
  
"Kyouya! Thank you! You're the best lord any prince could ask for!" Tamaki bounced out of the carriage the moment Mori and Honey drew the horses to a stop, running full tilt across the field. Honey immediately took off after him, hand already hovering over his blade in case it was called for.  
  
"Oi, Kyouya! Is this really such a good idea?" Hikaru asked in a hushed whisper as he and the others climbed down from the carriage and followed at a more sedate rate. "What are you going to tell His Highness if something happens to that idiot?"  
  
"Honey and Mori will keep him safe," Kyouya said. "This particular group of gypsies has a reputation for being exceedingly scrupulous, in large part because of their leader, who is reputed to be kind and generous. She may charge Tamaki an arm and a leg for dancing lessons, but no harm will come to him."  
  
They entered the encampment. Tamaki grinned at them from his place amongst the gypsies. A small woman dressed in a flamboyant red skirt and with pieces of gold tied into her short brown hair danced beside him, demonstrating for him how to beat a tambourine before passing it to him. Tamaki grabbed it eagerly and tried (poorly) to mimic her.    
  
"Is that the only reason, Kyouya?" Kaoru asked as Kyouya smiled back at Tamaki and clapped lightly.  
  
Kyouya snapped his book shut and looked down at the two twins.    
  
"When we arrive, he will marry Lady Éclair immediately," he said, pulling the book close to his chest. "It does no harm to let him have fun once more."  
  
"-if only for the last time, huh?" Hikaru crossed his arms and eyed the crowd dancing around the fire for a moment before nodding to himself. He threw a hand up behind him as he went forward to join them, calling back, "Well, here's hoping he doesn't fall in love and refuse to leave!"  
  


~

  
  
"So, how are you going to explain to His Highness that his only son the prince fell in love with a gypsy named Haruhi and has chosen to deny his name rather than marry Lady Éclair?" Hikaru asked two hours later as the carriage began to make its way back to the palace it had so recently left.  
  
A vein throbbed in Kyouya's forehead. He threw the book at the Hitachin brothers and shouted, "Stop the carriage!"  
  
"Kyouya?! Where are you going?" Kaoru called as Kyouya jumped from the carriage and began to head back to the gypsy encampment.  
  
"You two can explain everything. I'm staying with the gypsies," Kyouya replied. He waved at them over his shoulder.  
  
The Hitachin brothers exchanged a look.  
  
"Hang on, turn the carriage around!"  
  
"We're going back to the gypsies too!" they shouted.  
  
His Highness never did find out what exactly happened, but was pleased if a bit perplexed when, some weeks after he expected his son's return from his marriage to Lady Éclair, he was introduced to his new daughter-in-law, Lady Haruhi.


End file.
